The visitors are coming back – that's the news from two award-winning Wellington breweries who are enjoying the fruits not only of Level 1 freedom but also of winning national awards.
Kererū , one of the pioneers of Upper Hutt's renowned Brewtown , and Parrotdog – headquartered at Wellington's scenic Lyall Bay – both say they have noticed increased numbers of visitors and locals and say they are now back running at near-normal capacity.
In an interesting vote of confidence in naming breweries (and brews) after birds, Kererū and Parrotdog won gold medals in this year's New World Beer & Cider Awards (NWBCA) – Kererū for the intriguing Night Spirit Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout and Parrotdog for their highly decorated Falcon APA (American Pale Ale).
This is the sixth annual NWBCA awards, this year run throughout June in conjunction with Buy NZ to celebrate and champion local food producers and promote regional tourism – and Kererū's Chris Mills and Parrotdog's Matt Warner say they can see increased numbers of visitors and locals turning up to sample their wares.
That's largely down to Level 1, of course, but both say their online sales did well during the lockdown – and now the New World Beer & Cider Awards are helping to keep their respective names up in lights.
Both are also ideally placed to assess the returning levels of customers. Kererū and associated restaurant Kuku (where they match beer to food) are found at either end of Brewtown, the craft beer "city" just a short train ride from Wellington central. Parrotdog's bar, takeaway and restaurant are also well known to Wellingtonians and visitors alike.
Their origins are also interesting, their brands heavily intertwined with bird life. Mills named his brewery after the native wood pigeons that frequented trees at his Silverstream property. Originally a native of Boston, he learned the rudiments of brewing early when his mother taught him how to make root beer – and he'd been a dedicated home brewer when, in 2010, he decided to go commercial.
They soon outgrew their premises and in 2013 became one of the pioneers of Brewtown. They make a point of sourcing top-quality, locally-grown materials for their huge range, acknowledged for their spiced, flavoured, sour and barrel-aged beers.
"I broke my own rule," says Mills of his award-winning Night Spirit stout. "I always said we would never make a product we couldn't repeat." The batches are unique and can't be re-created; there are less than 4000 bottles of the award-winning brew so it is exclusive – and finite.
Mills says the secret is in the oak whiskey casks he procured from the old Wilson's distillery which turned up at the New Zealand Whiskey Collective: "They are the most amazing oak barrels and they help give the Night Spirit its amazing flavour."
Amazing might be the right word - this is what the judges (an independent panel of 25 experts judged hundreds of beers and ciders in March, before Covid-19, to find the Top 30 best beers and ciders) said about Night Spirit: "This massive beer is a special treat.
Warm with layers of raisins, chocolate, sherry and oaky tannins, it walks a tightrope, perfectly balancing amazing depth of flavour and spirit heat with a gentle drinkability that fills your senses but doesn't overwhelm them."
Unusually, Night Spirit can also be cellared. The label says "best before 2029" but Mills thinks it will still be drinking well in 10-15 years.
Matt Warner's brewery – founded along with Matt Kristofski and Matt Stevens (yes, three Matts…) – is a regular winner at the NWBCA and says, in the early days, the awards helped put Parrotdog on the map: "It was incredibly valuable when we were trying to break in to the market – and it still is."
Their Falcon APA has been recognised as one of the best in show for a second year. The official tasting notes said: Loads of vibrant, sweet lime zest and a touch of pine on a sleek malt base, with a drying minerality and en pointe bitterness – this is about as good an APA as you'll find. A perfect marriage of stunning flavour, drinkability and satisfaction. "Beautiful, lovely, vibrant," said the judges.
While the three founders must have been tempted to call their brewery The Three Matts, they settled on Parrotdog because two of the Matts - Kristofski and Warner – called each other "dog" and Kristofski had a pet parrot at the time.
Parrotdog has a bar, restaurant and a cellar door called Nice.Takeaway where tap beer can be dispensed.
"I still can't tell you why we called each other 'dog'," muses Warner, "but we just put the parrot and the dog together – and it stuck."
Can't make it to Wellington? Pick up one of these brews or ciders at your local New World and enjoy after a long day, or check out more New World Beer & Cider Award winners and discover a new drop this season at www.newworld.co.nz/top30.
Tune in next Thursday for the fourth installation of our New World Beer & Cider Awards regional journey. Next up? Tasman.